Response to waste plant fears by MP

THE News and Mail has been asked by Humfrey Malins, MP for Woking, to print the following statement in response to the many constituents who have contacted him on the proposed waste plant at Heather Farm and the Surrey Waste Management Plan consultation.

THE News and Mail has been asked by Humfrey Malins, MP for Woking, to print the following statement in response to the many constituents who have contacted him on the proposed waste plant at Heather Farm and the Surrey Waste Management Plan consultation.

Mr Malins said: “I am writing to you because of the continuing concerns being expressed about possible waste disposal sites in the Woking area, in particular Heather Farm and Martyr’s Lane.

“It is particularly prompted because of the vast amount of correspondence I have received in the past few days.

“This correspondence in part is a reaction to a very misleading leaflet that has been in circulation about so-called ‘secret proposals’ in relation to an incinerator at Martyr’s Lane, with people only having ‘one week to object’.

“This anonymous leaflet is being circulated widely and will worry very many people, quite wrongly. It contains a huge amount of misinformation. The claims of ‘secret proposals’ using ‘outlawed technology’ are wholly wrong and improper.

“There are no specific planning applications for an ‘incinerator’ at Martyr’s Lane or indeed at any site.

“From my point of view I am stressing all the time to the various people who make the decisions that I have concerns.

“Firstly it seems to me that any such site should be away from busy residential areas, where there are schools and people living close by. Secondly the environment issues are absolutely vital and these include health issues as well as traffic implications.

"Thirdly there is the question of cost. Fourthly there is the important question of green belt.

“There are other big issues but the essential point is that if anything is done, it must be done in the right place and must not result in any loss of quality of life to the people of Woking or indeed the county.

“I hope that what I have said in this letter reassures you somewhat, because if you have seen the absurd anonymous leaflet that has been sent round, you will no doubt be very worried and quite unnecessarily so. I hope what I have said is of some help.”